Spike Heels and Baritones
by LadyMoonSilver
Summary: It's Friday the Thirteenth and Susan is two weeks overdue. Danny is finding out the easy ones aren't always easy and Duke has to contend with misbehaving brothers with assorted mayhem along the way. Reviews welcome.
1. Chapter 1

_The times they are a'changin' and Five-O is finding they have to change with the times._

 _Especially when it's Friday the Thirteenth._

 _Once again the cast and crew that make up the Original Five-O belongs to CBS but I am having ever so much fun playing with them._

 _For those of you not familiar with my stories, I moved everything to the mid-90's, mostly because I can and because I thought it would be fun to watch the team try to deal with rapidly changing technology._

 _This can also be considered part of the September Challenge. I chose The Child Stealers. Part of the dialog in chapter three of this story is paraphrased from the episode. As far as I can tell the larcenous couple, Gar and Nina, didn't have a last name, so I gave them one. Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong._

 _Not too much sex and violence in this one but read and enjoy anyway._

 _LMS_

O-O-O-O-O

McGarrett awakened to the sound of the surf and an empty bed. The bedside clock read five minutes after four. He stifled a yawn as he got up and put on the robe that was hanging on the back of the bathroom door. He brushed his teeth, washed his face, and went in search of the small green eyed woman who had changed his life so dramatically.

He found her sitting on the lanai, her hands wrapped around a mug of chamomile tea, watching the dawn breaking over the Pacific.

He pulled up a chair and sat down beside her. "How long have you been up?" he asked.

She gave him a weary smile. "Since about three. I didn't want to wake you."

"Nightmares again?"

She didn't answer. She sipped her tea, her eyes focused on a point somewhere out over the ocean.

"Maggie," he said, "Put down the mug and talk to me. We've been through this before. You are suppose to wake me if it's nightmares. I can't help you if you don't let me know what's going on. Which one was it this time? The old one or the new one?"

She set the mug on the table and reached out to take his hand. "I'm sorry, baby. I didn't want to wake you. You work such crazy hours and looked so peaceful. Next time I'll wake you. I promise."

"It was the new one, then?" he said. She had came back from the Gulf War with a wired together spine and a world class case of PTSD. She had been making real progress in the battle with the nightmares and insomnia; the sound of the surf and the cool ocean breezes enabled her to sleep through the night snuggled peacefully in his arms. Then Big Chicken and his cronies had kidnapped Maggie and her friend Susan in a twisted attempt at revenge. They had been rescued with the help of Johnathan Kaye and Andreaus Yablanski, Susan's ex-husband, before Chicken and his buddies could make good on any of the threats made against the two women. During the ordeal, Maggie had lost the child she was carrying, forcing her doctor to do an emergency hysterectomy to stop the bleeding and save her life. The new set of nightmares were a replay of the incident, causing McGarrett to mentally murder Big Chicken every time Maggie woke up crying. Fortunately for all concerned, Big Chicken was now occupying a cell in the new Supermax prison in Colorado, locked down 23 hours a day, away from his hired muscle and without access to the funds provided by his various criminal enterprises, confined to a wheelchair, paralyzed from the waist down by Duke Lukela's bullet.

"Maggie, sweetie, listen to me, please, baby?" He got up, taking her hands and pulling her to her feet and into his arms as he did. "I love you, and nothing is ever going to change that. You are the best thing that's happened to me in a long time. The next time you get the bad dreams, wake me up. Understand, sergeant?"

She looked up at him and gave him the first real smile of the day. "That's retired sergeant, Commander." The injuries she had received when Frank Collins had hit her across her lower back with a riot baton finished her military career. She had retired eight months early on full medical pension.

"And that's retired Commander, if you please." Steve said, smiling down at her. He had retired from the Navy Reserve the day after his birthday and their wedding. He reached under her chin, tilting her head back to kiss her. Her arms went around his neck as her lips parted beneath his. She tasted of chamomile with just a hint of lemon, her lips soft and warm and inviting. He swept her off her feet and carried her inside.

"You are going to be late for your morning run," she said as he carried her to the bed.

"I think I'll skip this morning's run." he said, giving her a naughty smile. "I know a much better exercise that's a lot more fun."

O-O-O-O-O

Later, she walked with him to the door. "What's the plan for today," he asked. He knew she was having trouble adjusting to retirement.

"The same plan that me and everyone else has had for the last two weeks, waiting for Susan to have that baby," Maggie said. Susan was two weeks past the due date given by Dr. Sessums. Steve had to smile. The last two weeks of waiting had managed to do something no one would have ever anticipated. Duke Lukela was turning into a nervous wreck. Normally, nothing seemed to phase the man. He went through life with a calm, quiet demeanor that everyone who knew him thought was unshakable. Until now. The only reason Steve hadn't sent him home on stress leave was because he knew Duke would have driven Susan bonkers. As it was, he called her at least six times a day and would have a small anxiety attack if she didn't answer by the third ring.

"Are you going over to sit with her today?" Steve asked.

"No, she's coming here. She wants a beach day before the little one makes his debut."

"Good idea. That little _kanaka_ is going to hear the surf and make his escape. I swear these Hawaiian kids are born knowing how to surf." Steve had tried surfing one time and that had been enough for him, especially after the board had flipped him into the water and still managed to whack him in the head so hard he saw stars.

"Maybe that's the plan. Only he'd better stay in there until tomorrow, or he's going to have an infamous birthday."

"Don't tell me my little pagan _menehune_ is getting superstitious." Steve said.

"Not me," she said, smiling back. "It's everyone else I'm worried about. You need to get going or you are going to be late. And be careful, please. It is Friday the thirteenth."

He bent to kiss her good-bye. "I've already got lucky once this morning. Maybe it's a sign."

"Oh, you!" Maggie said, blushing. "Quit being irresistible and go to work!" He kissed her once more before he left for work.

O-O-O-O-O

He was still smiling when he got to his office at Iolani Palace. As usual he was the first in the office, the rest of the crew meandering in around six thirty. Everyone, except Duke.

Danny was stirring sugar into his coffee. "Looks like Duke's running late," he observed. "You don't suppose the wait is over?"

McGarrett shook his head. "I don't think so. Susan would have called Maggie and then Maggie would have called me."

Chin had a cup of green tea. The older he got, the less the strong Kona coffee the rest of the crew insisted on drinking agreed with his tummy. He sipped his tea, recalling how nervous he'd been before the birth of each of his eight children. "Duke's got first time father nerves. We keep him busy, he'll be fine."

Steve thought about the folders on his desk. "That's not going to be a problem, Chin. I've got warrants on my desk, waiting to be served. I don't know why Duke is so anxious. He's got two kids and Susan has a daughter. It's not like they are first time parents."

"It will be their first together," Chin said. "And this one was a surprise for both of them, like my little Tilda." Chin's youngest daughter had been a late in life surprise baby, unexpected and unplanned but welcomed all the same.

"That little girl of yours is something else," Danny said, smiling. Tilda had been everyone's favorite since Chin had brought her to the office during the annual "Take Your Daughter To Work Day". She had charmed the entire staff, asked serious questions about what Five-O did, had listened intently to the answers, and at the end of the day, announced that she was going to be a police officer like her daddy. Chin couldn't have been prouder.

"You and Beverly need to start working on a couple of kids." Chin suggested.

"When she's out of the Navy," Danny said. "Or at least when she's done with training at Quantico, which will be in four weeks and two days. Not that I'm counting." He had already gotten his vacation days approved. As soon as Beverly graduated, he was going to take her on the honeymoon they didn't have time for after their quickie wedding last August.

The outer door opened to admit a harried looking Duke. "Sorry I'm late," Duke said, hurriedly entering the office, tie at half mast and his shirt collar unbuttoned. "I was helping Susan put her bags in the car before she heads out to Maggie's, just in case." He poured a cup of coffee, downing it without sugar or cream.

"Settle down and come here," Jenny said, frowning. "Your shirt is buttoned wrong and your tie is all wonky." She re-buttoned his collar and straightened his tie. Sometimes she felt more like Five-O's mother than their secretary.

"Thanks, hon," Duke said. "If Susan calls put her through immediately."

"Yes, Daddy," Jenny said, smiling. "Hopefully it won't be today. I can't imagine having Friday the thirteenth for a birthday."

"I don't care what day it is as long as Susan is okay and the baby is healthy. But I did tell her this morning that since she's already two weeks overdue she could wait until after midnight. It'd be the best birthday present I ever got." The fourteenth would be Duke's fiftieth birthday.

"Alright, gentleman," Steve said, refilling his cup. "Meeting in my office in ten. We've got work to do." He went into his office, opening the blinds and letting in the morning sun. He sat at his desk, reading over the folders, formulating the days plans, and reluctantly acknowledging that he was just a tad envious of Duke and Susan. Three weeks after their wedding, he and Maggie had started the first steps on the long and complicated road to adopting a child, and even though he was the head of the state police and a good friend of the governor, there was still a waiting list.

He sipped his coffee as the rest of the team came in, balancing cups and notebooks.

"Okay, gentleman, here's what we've got for today. The first one's the easiest. Three female suspects wanted for embezzlement from their employer. Danno, Officer Welles is going to help on this one. She and two more female HPD officers will meet you at the address."

"Says here its in Waikiki," Danny said.

"On Kapiolani Drive, no less," Steve said. "It's a real estate investment firm. Three women from the accounting department found a way to skim off 2.5 million and change over the last four years. We sent Ms. Mendoza in undercover at the board of directors request. Took her half a day to hack their system and trace the missing money."

"Let's make sure we pay Mendoza enough," Danny said. "That girl can do some spooky stuff with those machines." Pacita Mendoza was a petite Fillapina with huge dark eyes and long black hair that she usually wore in French twist. Danny had taken one look at her and fallen in lust. He had asked her out several times, each time turning on the charm, to no avail. Kono had struck out as well, leaving both men with bruised egos. It wasn't until months later, at a party at Steve and Maggie's, that the truth finally came out. Maggie introduced Pacita to Ebony Thompson and sparks flew. The girls had been dating since.

"The owner's wife got a little suspicious when she saw them at an invitation only trunk show at Neiman Marcus. They were buying up designer dresses like there was no tomorrow. Owner's wife could only afford one. I have a feeling the poor man caught hell when she got home." Crooks always had their Achilles's heel, in this case three inch spikes made by Louboutin.

"Wait until they see the women's prison uniforms," Danny said. "I don't think those are included in a Neiman-Marcus trunk show."

"That's the easy one for the day," Steve said. " All three of the ladies involved should be at work by nine. You also have search warrants for their homes, cars, work spaces, computers, and any financial records they may have. Co-ordinate with HPD for the searches and impound all vehicles and computers they may have lying around."

McGarrett sipped his coffee before returning to the folders on his desk. "Duke, Chin, this one is going to be a little more difficult. The Taumamua Brothers have been misbehaving again."

"I thought they were still in jail," Chin said, frowning. "Or at the very least on house arrest."

The Taumamua brothers were Samoan's, a set of twins; Mano and Pano, and their younger brother, Kimo. The twins were mirror twins, one right handed, the other left, both standing six-three in their bare feet and weighing in at around 210. The youngest, Kimo, also known as 'Tiny,' was the baby in the family but certainly not the runt of the litter. He stood six foot six and weighed in at around 350 pounds.

"What did they do this time?" Duke asked. The Taumamua Brothers were the bane of the existence of every law enforcement agency on Oahu. Their criminal records, both individual and collective, had it's own self at HPD headquarters. There wasn't much they hadn't done, or attempted to do. They tried their best to be criminal masterminds, unfortunately their room temperature IQ's kept them from achieving their goals.

"This time it's extortion, breaking and entering, communicating a threat, grand theft auto, vandalism, and littering." Steve read from the warrant.

"The old strong arm tactic?" Chin asked.

"The same," McGarrett replied. "This time it's food trucks. If the owners didn't pay up, they'd find their trucks sitting on flat tires, or with sugar poured into their gas tanks."

"What kind of threats were they making?" Duke asked.

"The usual. About how it's hard to cook with two broken arms and how bad it would be if the health inspectors found roaches on board. All this while holding a mason jar full of the nasty little buggers."

"HPD has been trying to nail the three of them for ages," Duke said. "Every time we thought we had an airtight case, the witnesses would suddenly get a bad case of amnesia." The Brothers were huge. Having them show up on a witnesses front porch was usually all it took to induce a change of testimony.

"How'd they get a littering charge?" Chin asked. He'd arrested all of the Brothers at one time or another, and for the Taumamua Brothers, littering was the least violent charge they had ever managed to accumulate.

"It says here that the Brother's stole a food truck belonging to a lady known only as Hilo Hattie after she had threatened to, and I'm quoting here, gentleman,'wear their asses out with a cane stalk.'" Steve read, trying not to laugh. "The brothers must have taken her at her word, because they left her alone. However, two nights later the truck was stolen from her locked garage and found overturned with it's contents thrown out onto the beach near Koko Head. We know it was the Brother's because the youngest one spray painted his name on the side of the truck and the Twins left fingerprints everywhere."

"Did he spell his name correctly?" Duke asked. "The three of them share a brain, that is when they can find it."

"This time we've got hard evidence tying them to a string of strong arm threats they can't weasel out of because they scare their victims." Steve continued. "Charges are being brought by the state of Hawaii, and last I heard, Hawaii isn't easily frightened, nor is Ms Hilo Hattie. She wants a few minutes alone with the Brothers when we catch them."

"Never mess with an Hawaiian grandma," Duke said, wincing from memory. "Especially if she has access to a cane stalk. Those things smart."

"You know they gone put up a fight," Chin said. "They always do. We give them a chance to come along quietly and they still want to fight."

"That's why I want Duke out front. Maybe they will be more inclined to surrender to an Islander."

"When pigs fly," Duke said. "Where are they? In town or hiding out at their mom's."

"They're at Mama Taumamua's. Kono is going to provide backup from the SO since it's out in the county." McGarrett handed the folder containing the warrants for the Brother's to Duke.

"Great, we get to bring in the Taumamua Brother's on Friday the Thirteenth. Their mom's place is in the middle of nowhere. If they come along peacefully, which I doubt they'll do, it's still a two hour drive back to Honolulu. I'm bringing a transport van. That way if they decide to start singing, I don't have to hear it." The Taumamua Brothers considered themselves talented singers, and they weren't half bad. They weren't half good either.

"I thought you liked Island music," Steve said.

"Not the way the Brother's sing it. All three of them try to sing harmony, which wouldn't be too bad, except that all three are baritones." Duke shook his head at the memory. "The last time they were arrested was at Karaoke Kate's on Hotel Street. They took over the machine and refused to let anyone else near the mic."

"I remember that one," Chin said, grinning. "The bartender got mad and swung a ukulele at Tiny. That's when the Brothers turned the place out. I hear the judge gave them a lifetime ban on karaoke."

"Any questions?" Steve asked. There were none. "Okay, go get 'em. The bad guys aren't going to arrest themselves." He watched as the team filed out, wishing he was going with them. He had a meeting with a social worker from the state adoption agency at ten. The social worker had asked to see him without Maggie being present and he had a feeling what they were going to discuss wasn't going to be good news.


	2. Chapter 2

O-O-O-O-O

Maggie heard Susan's car pull into the driveway and went out to meet her, making sure the security gate was closed and locked. She had given Susan the gate code as soon as the new alarm system was installed. Steve, still blaming himself for what had happened with Big Chicken, had gone a little overboard with the new security measures, but as long as it made him feel less guilty, Maggie didn't have the heart to object. "Need some help with your beach bag?" she asked.

"I got it," Susan said. "Duke insisted I take everything but the crib and changing table. I swear that man is going to give himself a stroke before the little one decides he's ready to make his appearance."

"How are you liking the new wheels?" Maggie asked as Susan got her beach bag from the back of the Ford Explorer. After seeing her struggling to get out of her little red Sentra, Duke had insisted on trading the small car for a roomier and safer SUV. Susan, in the eighth month of her pregnancy, hadn't been inclined to argue.

"It's got more leg room and lots of room for hauling groceries. Duke's already had the car seat installed. That man is doing his best to spoil me, and I'm going to let him."

"Want a cup of tea before we head down to the beach?"

"Yea, please." She gave Maggie a sharp look, noticing the dark circles under her friend's eyes. "You okay there, kiddo?" she ask. She had known Maggie since her first hitch in the Army. She had taken the nineteen year old private under her wing, both on duty and off. She could tell something wasn't right.

"Having a little trouble sleeping, is all. Same old same old," Maggie said.

"Insomnia or nightmares? I know you have both. Does that handsome devil you're married to know?"

"Hey," Maggie said, "I'm retired, so can the first sergeant act! Yes, he knows, and I don't know what I would do without him."

Susan followed her into the kitchen. Maggie set mugs on the table and put the kettle on to boil. "You know you're not the only one retiring. I turned in my paperwork before I went on maternity leave. Keep your fingers crossed that I get approval."

Maggie stared at Susan, surprise written on her face. "You're kidding, right? I thought you had two years left."

"Two years too many," Susan said. "I'm taking mommie retirement. I've had enough of the military. I want to stay home and take care of my baby and do all the stuff I didn't get to do the first time."

"You are serious. Wow. I'll bet Duke is one happy Hawaiian."

"Probably about as happy as Steve was when you retired." Susan thought a minute as Maggie poured hot water over tea bags. "I never thought I'd get this lucky. I didn't know they still made men like Duke. He's always calm, or at least he was until I went past my due date."

Maggie laughed as she added lemon to her tea. "You know the only reason Steve hasn't sent him home on stress leave is because he knows Duke would drive you bonkers."

"That's my husband and tomorrow is his birthday. Let's go swimming and see if maybe the little one likes the water enough to decide to show up in time for his Dad's birthday."

"You sure this is going to work?" Maggie asked.

"I did ten laps at the rec center pool the day before I went into labor with Sophie. If it worked once, it should work again. And if it doesn't, Dr Sessums says that on Monday she's going to go in and get him. I think I want to avoid the whole C-section thing."

"Then let's finish our tea and hit the beach. You can swim and I can work on my tan."

"I swear you must be part reptile," Susan said. "You and that nutty sister of yours are the only redheads I've ever seen that don't get sunburned."

"It's a Cajun thing," Maggie said, smiling. "You know what they say about family trees in South Louisiana: Don't shake 'em unless you're ready to deal with what falls out."

They were still laughing as they cleared the tea things and loaded the cups into the dishwasher.

Maggie was carrying the sand chairs and Susan a beach bag with towels and a thermos of iced tea as they made their way down the path to the beach, stopping momentarily for Maggie to unlock the gate set into the wrought iron fence.

"Steve really went out of his way with the security. I haven't seen walls like this since Berlin." Susan said.

"He still blames himself for what happened," Maggie said, quietly.

Susan nodded thoughtfully. "Duke's almost as bad. If I don't answer my phone by the third ring he's ready to roll out the squad cars. He's the same with Lillie. By the way," she said, changing the subject to a happier topic, "Lillie has a full scholarship to Vassar. Looks like I'm going to have two Vassar grads in the family."

"That's wonderful!" Maggie said. "She and Sophie can keep each other company."

"Yes, and we will have Cooper McGarrett looking out for both of them. Your step-son has got it bad for my daughter."

"I'm still trying to adjust to being a step-mom to a grown man," Maggie said. "Cooper is a younger version of his dad. I'm kinda hoping the two of them end up together. After she graduates, that is."

"She could do a lot worse. You know she wants to go to law school. Scary, isn't it, my daughter a lawyer?"

"Hey, at least she doesn't have to enlist," Maggie said, her eyes staring at nothing, fixed on a point a thousand yards and and halfway around the world. "The world's getting a little too scary."

"Yeah," Susan agreed, "She had more choices than we did. I think she made the right one."

"Me, too," Maggie said, "Girl, we have seen some stuff and done some stuff, and right now, I'm happy to sit on this beach and soak up some rays with the knowledge that tomorrow morning I don't have to put on a uniform and be a soldier."

They set the sand chairs just above the surf line. Susan took off her beach robe, her overdue baby bump becoming even more apparent.

"You going in or are you just going to lie there and bask?" Susan wanted to know.

"Try to keep me out of the water. Swimming and aquatics are about the only exercise I can manage these days." Maggie shrugged out of her robe. "Race you to the water!"

"As if!" Susan said. Both women walked to the water's edge, Susan slowly and carefully as she balanced her rounded belly with each step and Maggie with the slight limp that was only noticeable to people who knew her well. The water was warm and clear. It was going to be a good day.

O-O-O-O-O

Danny met Sgt Sandra Welles in front of South Pacific Realty and Investment on Kapiolani Drive. The building was a glass and concrete structure, the ground floor a collection of very high end shops. Sandy was in plain clothes, the two officers accompanying her were uniformed HPD patrol officers.

"Morning, Sandy," Danny said, giving the police sergeant a brief hug. They had worked together after uncovering Big Chicken's human smuggling ring. Although she had a tendency to talk way too much when she was nervous, once she settled down she did her job thoroughly and efficiently. It was during this investigation that Danny had discovered just how angry she could get at the thought of women and children being exploited by creeps like Big Chicken and the Reverend Samuel Leeds. Instead of losing her temper, like most male officers would have done, she had channeled that anger into an airtight case that put Leeds away for twenty years and added an extra twenty-five to Big Chicken's multiple life sentences.

"Morning, yourself," Sandy said. "This is Officer Megan Tamaguci and Officer Katie Owens. Ladies, this is Dan Williams from Five-O. You've been briefed. Let's go get 'em." Sandy knew that both the officers wanted to get back on patrol as soon as possible, but HPD protocol required the presence of female officer during the arrest of a female suspect whenever it was feasible.

"Pleased to meet you, Officers," Danny said. "We have warrants here for Johanna Watts, Christine Baker, and Denise Hathaway for embezzlement and tax evasion. Their office is on the sixth floor and they should be at work by now. This shouldn't be a difficult arrest. You'll probably be back on patrol within an hour. Shall we, ladies?" He asked, holding the door for the officers.

The financial offices of South Pacific Realty and Investment took up the entire sixth floor, the name of the company and it's directory printed on the frosted glass door in gold lettering. Danny and Sandy flashed their badges and asked to see the supervisor. The supervisor turned out to be an older man of Japanese descent. Norio Nobuyuki was neatly dressed in a well cut dark suit and a gleaming white shirt with a pearl gray tie and matching silk pocket square. Nobuyuki had known about the pending arrests and was eager to get the incident over with. He considered the arrests a disruption of business, and business disruptions did not make money.

"If you will follow me," Nobuyuki said in soft voice that still held traces of an English accent from his years at Oxford. "Unfortunately all three ladies work at the back of the room, in accounts payable. I don't suppose you can escort them out without resorting to handcuffs?"

Sandy raised an eyebrow. "Afraid not, sir," she said. "HPD regulations state that arrestees must be handcuffed, both for their safety and ours. We'll try to get this done as quickly and as quietly as possible."

"Very well," Mr. Nobuyuki said. "This way, please." The office space was laid out in the newest 'open' floor plan, with groups of cubicles clustered together in various sections. The officers followed Mr. Nobuyuka to a cluster of computer terminals near the back wall, where he helpfully pointed out the three women, each of them elegantly dressed in very expensive designer outfits.

That's when it went wrong.

Danny barely had 'Ladies, you are under arrest..." out when the fight started.

The one wearing the gray Chanel suit with pink trim and a elegant pink blouse accented with a pair of matching pink Jimmy Choo spikes, threw the first thing she could pick up: a Waterford crystal vase stuffed with roses that bounced off Danny's shoulder and into the wall, scattering crystal shards, roses, and water everywhere. She then started pelting the officers with anything within reach.

The women wearing a chocolate brown DKNY dress with matching jacket and suede pumps by Mootsies Tootsies shoved her chair into Officer Tamaguci, Tamaguci came up swinging her nightstick, catching Ms DKNY behind the knee, causing her to drop like a rock. Tamaguci had her face down on the carpet with the cuffs on half a minute later.

The third woman, this one in an Ann Taylor ensemble and Louboutin spikes that Sandy estimated would set her back three months salary, kicked off her shoes and yelled, "You want me, come get me!" and bending down, ran a headbutt into Danny's middle that knocked him into the wall. She turned on Sandy, getting ready to repeat the process, except Sandy was ready for the attack. She simply turned sideways and hit the woman with a shot from her Taser. Ms Ann Taylor went down, suddenly losing all interest in fighting. Officer Owens snapped on the cuffs and drug her aside.

The woman in Chanel was screaming obscenities and throwing anything she could get her hands on. Danny had managed to get up and regain enough breath to function, only to have a coffee mug that read _World's_ _Greatest Mom_ bounce off his head, cutting a gash over his left eye. He was half blinded by the blood running into his eye and missed the sight of Officer Tamaguci tackling Ms Chanel. The woman was fighting like a cornered badger. Officer Owens jumped into the fray. Both uniformed officers held the suspect down until Sandy got the cuffs on.

Mr. Nobuyuki watched, horrified, as Danny called for a transport van and the EMT's. Sandy handed him a wad of tissues from a box that had landed near her feet. Danny held the tissue to his wound. He'd about bet that tomorrow he was going to have one hell of a shiner to go with the scratches on his cheek made by the thrown roses.

Sandy had all three women sitting on the floor with their hands cuffed behind them. "Congratulations, Ladies," she said. "You just made the Big Time. Assaulting an officer and resisting arrest." She recited their rights under the Miranda Ruling and suggested that being quiet until they met with their attorney would be in their best interest.

Danny had his phone out, telling Che to send in a crew to go over the crime scene and to send Mendoza in to check the computers.

"How's your head, Danny?" Sandy asked when he'd hung up the phone. "She got you a good one with that mug."

"Steve said this was going to be an easy one. Next time he says it's an easy one, he can do the arresting." Danny looked around. The office was a mess, with paperwork, mugs, pens, staplers, and assorted desk debris strewn all over the place. Mr. Nobuyuki stood there, staring. Other workers had left their desks to see what was causing all the commotion.

Mr. Nobuyuki didn't know what to think of the melee he had just watched. The one thing he knew for certain was that with everyone away from their desks, money was not being made. He saw his duty clearly. "Ms Watts, Ms Hathaway, and Ms Baker, consider yourselves terminated without reference." He turned to address the crowd that was beginning to build. "And if you don't want to join them on the unemployment line, I suggest everyone go back to work."

The EMT's showed up with Che's team from the crime lab. They checked the three combatants for injuries as one of the EMT's cleaned the cut over Danny's eye and closed it with a butterfly bandage, assuring Danny that he didn't have a concussion or broken ribs. Danny followed as the women, their designer clothes torn, wrinkled, and stained, were led to the elevator. As they elevator descended, the one in the Chanel suit, started crying. "I need to call my babysitter." she sobbed.

"You can call your sitter after you've been booked," Danny said. "Although I would suggest calling your lawyer first." He helped the women into the transport van and watched as it pulled away from the curb and headed downtown. He was about to ask Sandy if she wanted to get a cup of coffee before she went back to work. The look on her face killed the thought before it formed. "You alright?" he asked, frowning slightly.

"She needs to call her babysitter," Sandy said. "She's got kids and she still risked jail time to buy designer clothes. She has a family, yet she risked it all by stealing from her employer. There are some things I will never understand. Come on, Williams. I'll buy you a cup of coffee. There's a non chain coffee shop just around the corner."

"You're on," Danny said. He had a mild headache and hoped Sandy had some aspirin in her bag. He had a feeling he was going to need them before the day was over.


	3. Chapter 3

O-O-O-O-O

McGarrett took an immediate dislike to the representative from the state adoption services. The man was neatly dressed in a gray suit, his shirt was pressed, with matching tie and pocket square. _Maybe it's the cologne,_ he thought _, its way to flowery and he seems to have marinated in it._

"Mr. McGarrett," the man said. "I am George Dalton. I am here about the application to adopt that you and your wife submitted to us earlier." He opened his briefcase and took out a manila envelope stuffed with paperwork.

"I will be happy to answer any questions you may have, Mr. Dalton," he said. Dalton was oozing too much charm and goodwill for a low level bureaucrat.

"That won't be necessary," Dalton said. He knew McGarrett by reputation and from the questionnaire he and his wife had filled out when they submitted their application to the adoption bureau. He knew that McGarrett didn't like being told 'no' by anyone. "I have the unfortunate duty to inform you that your petition to adopt has been denied."

McGarrett stared at the man as if he were a moth pinned to a board. "Would you care to explain why?" he asked.

"You do not meet our criteria for adoptive parents, Mr. McGarrett. Your wife is one year shy of the maximum age limit for women and you, sir, are nine years past the age for men. You have been married less than a year, and then there is concern over your wife's health issues."

McGarrett continued to stare at the man. "My wife's health issues are a result of injuries she received during the Gulf War. She is a decorated combat veteran."

"I am well aware of this, Mr. McGarrett. We are also aware that she's practically held together with baling wire. However, that's not the issue. The issue is she has been diagnosed by doctors at both Walter Reed and Tripler Army Hospital as having a severe case of PTSD. That alone was enough to get your application rejected."

McGarrett stood up and began pacing around his desk. "Let me get this straight," he said, "My wife and I spend the better part of a day filling out your application, we agree to release all our medical and financial records, you send a social worker to our house to make sure it's safe for a child and you have the complete and utter audacity to tell me we can't have a child because I'm too old and my wife has PTSD? Do you know how ludicrous this sounds?"

"Mr. McGarrett, if you would please..."

"No, Mr. Dalton, I won't please. We have a house next to the ocean with a large fenced yard, we are financially stable, and my wife is going to be a stay at home mom, and furthermore, we were willing to adopt an older child if an infant wasn't available and nationality or race didn't matter. Yet you turn us down because my wife has PTSD stamped on her medical records?"

"As I am sure you know, Mr. McGarrett, PTSD often presents with violent behavior. We cannot risk placing a child in a home where the mother can flip out at any given moment." Dalton said. He took out the letter with the decision from the agency, placed it on McGarrett's desk, and began shoving papers back into his briefcase.

"My wife has never 'flipped out' over anything, you pompous little ass." McGarrett said.

"Be that as it may," Dalton said. "If you like, you can appeal our decision, although the chances of our decision being overturned are slim to none. Or you could try for a private adoption. According to your financial statements you can more than afford it. In fact, I can recommend..."

"Out," McGarrett said.

"Pardon me," Dalton asked.

"Out. Get out of my office. Before I throw you out."

"You are aware that this type of behavior is not going to look good should you apply for appeal." Dalton headed for the door, dropping his briefcase and spilling it's contents. McGarrett picked it up, shoved the papers back in, made sure the locks clicked, and tossed it at Dalton's retreating back.

He spun on his heels and returned to his office, slamming the door behind him.

Danny came in just as Dalton was hurrying out and in time to witness Steve slamming the door to his office.

"What's up?" he asked Jenny. "He hasn't slammed the door in months."

"The man you saw leaving was from the adoption agency. I don't think it was good news," she said, frowning. "Give him a few minutes to calm down before you go in. Lord have mercy," she said noticing the butterfly bandages on Danny's forehead and the scratches on his cheek, "What happened to you?"

"Do you remember this morning when Steve said the arrest was going to be an easy one? Well, it wasn't. It was like collaring a pack of mongoose. Please tell me you have some aspirin. Sandy didn't have any and my head hurts because I got hit with a _world's best mom_ mug."

Jenny got the bottle of aspirin from the desk drawer where she kept all the little necessities that helped to smooth out any of the rough patches that the detectives managed to find. "Here you go," she said, handing him the bottle. "Those are suppose to be the fast acting ones."

"That's what I need, fast acting," he swallowed the pills, washing them down with a swallow of coffee. "If anyone needs me, I'll be in my office, writing a report that no one is going to believe."

O-O-O-O-O

 _The nerve of that man,_ McGarrett thought as he paced the floor of his office _. We can't adopt because Maggie has PTSD and a bunch of bureaucrats who've never been in uniform are convinced she's going to go librarian poo* and hurt someone._ _No_ , the cold logical part of his brain told him, _she'd hurt herself before she'd hurt another human, especially if it were a child._

Then that moron had suggested private adoption.

That's when he had lost it. He could still hear Gars voice echoing in his head. _"I wouldn't hurt the baby."_

 _"No, of course not." he'd replied. "Damaged goods lowers the price."_

 _"It's not like that. We didn't do it for the money. We did it to be free."_

He still had nightmares about babies being snatched from their cribs and sold on the black market to the highest bidder.

No, private adoption wasn't a route he was willing to take.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. "It's open," he said as Danny entered the office with the report from that mornings arrest.

"Damn, Danno, what happened to you?" he asked.

"This mornings arrest, that's what happened. 'You get the easy one', you said. What I got was hit by a flying coffee mug and ballistic roses. I'm subpoenaing the security camera footage. This is one arrest that's going down in HPD history. Three women in designer dresses and spike heels brawling with uniformed officers."

"I take it they didn't come along peacefully?" Steve asked.

"That'd be the understatement of the year. We need to go over those new rules the union came up with for handling female perpetrators. In fact, I'd say we all need a refresher course, now that we're arresting more women for a wider variety of criminal activity. I'm happy I had three female officers with me, or it would have gone down differently."

"Why's that?" McGarrett was one of those rare leaders who actually listened to the people in his command. If Danno was broaching the subject of arresting females, he knew there had to be a problem.

"Steve, I was raised to respect women," Danny said. "And I know you were, too. Duke and Chin are the same way. We learned early you don't hit girls. What's going to happen if we're in a situation where we may have to hit a woman? It goes against every thing we've ever been taught. If it ever comes down to one of us having to go one on one with a woman who's resisting arrest, we're going to need some rules as to what we can and can't do. Right now we're using HPD's procedures and taking female officers along for an arrest. What happens if one isn't available? Or we don't have time to call for female backup?"

"Good question, Danno. Wish I had an answer for you. I've got a meeting with John Manicote this afternoon. I'll go over HPD's procedures with him and see if there are any recent court rulings that we need to know about. Times are changing. Women are becoming equal opportunity criminals. Maybe it is time to rewrite the rule book."

"Or we could bite the bullet and hire a few women." Danny said.

Steve gave Danny a thoughtful look. "I would be lying if I said that thought hadn't crossed my mind. Keep your eyes open for some talent."

"How about Pacita Mendoza? She's already our go to computer tech." Danny suggested.

"Mendoza knows computers, and that's it. She was hired to be a tech, not an officer and has had no police training. I doubt if she even knows how to fire a gun. For now, let's leave her in the computer lab. But I am taking your advice and putting her in for a pay raise."

"That should make her day," Danny said, changing the subject. "How did the thing with the adoption agency go?"

McGarrett got up and went to look out the open window. "The agency turned us down" he said, his back still turned away from Danny. "That officious little prick turned us down because he said I'm too old and Maggie has PTSD. She put in damn near twenty years in uniform and now they're telling us we can't have a child because she may 'flip out' at any given time." His voice trailed off until Danny had to strain to hear him. "How the hell am I going to tell her?"

"That's a tough one, Steve," Danny said. "The sooner the better I guess. I'm not even going to suggest a private adoption, since I know how you feel about those." Danny had rescued the sedated baby from Gar and Nina Blake. The couple had drugged the infant and were planning on smuggling her off the Island in their carry on luggage. The convicted child stealers were doing hard time in a federal prison in Kentucky. Danny had been happy to see the last of them, as he had to fight the urge to kick the crap out of Gar and slap some common sense into Nina every time he saw the couple.

"We'll get through this," Steve said. "She's going to be Godmother to Susan and Duke's baby, and Sophie says she takes the godmother thing seriously. Maybe that will be enough for now."

"Speaking of which, still no baby?"

"Not yet." Steve said. "I haven't heard from Duke or Chin since they left this morning. I hope their day is going better than mine."

O-O-O-O-O

It was just past one and Maggie and Susan, energized by a morning at the beach, were indulging in one of their favorite pastimes, thrift store shopping. They were at a shop called Sukie's in Chinatown, not far from the chaos of Hotel Street and the Little Jungle. The inventory of the shop was truly astonishing. Sukie's had everything from cheap reproductions to genuine antiques dating back to Hawaii's Missionary Period. Susan had found a pair of pewter candlesticks that were badly in need of cleaning and a reproduction Tiffany lampshade that would go splendidly in Lillie's room. Maggie was perusing a clothing rack marked 'vintage' if you considered hippie chic from the sixties as vintage. She didn't see anything that caught her eye on the racks and wandering further into the store, found a box of vintage fabrics and what appeared to be an old fashioned crazy quilt. The tag on the box instructed her to 'make an offer'. She called the salesclerk, an elderly Asian lady, and asked if that meant for everything in the box or per item.

"You can have everything in box if offer right," she said. "Too long in stock, too much trouble to put out, too much inventory. Make offer."

"Twenty bucks for the box okay?" Maggie asked.

"For you, twenty-five," the lady said. "Cash only, more if use card."

Maggie, a veteran thrift store shopper, always had cash. "You got it," she said, taking the bills out of her wallet. She waited for a receipt, and when none was offered, drug the box to the counter where the salesclerk was wrapping the lampshade in newspaper.

"Find anything interesting," Susan asked.

"A box of vintage fabric to add to the stash," Maggie said.

"You and your stash," Susan said. She had packed Maggie's quarters in Germany after the Gulf War and knew about the fabric stash. She knew that Maggie hadn't added to the stash of fabrics and threads until she and Steve were engaged, and to Susan, Maggie buying more fabric was a sign that she was finally recovering from the Gulf War.

Tilda Kelly, Chin's youngest, had a huge part in Maggie's recovery. A week after she was released from the hospital after the incident with Big Chicken, Lin had called, asking if Maggie was up to teaching Tilda embroidery. Three days out of the week, Lin would drop Tilda off after school and Maggie would teach her the stitches. Steve credited Tilda with a huge part of Maggie's recovery. Susan had to agree with him.

The saleslady had her nephew, who looked almost as ancient as she was, carry their purchases out to Susan's SUV.

"What next?" Maggie asked. "Feel up to some more shopping?

"Not really," Susan said. "My back hurts like hell."

"You okay there?" Maggie asked. Susan leaned against the SUV, a look of sudden shock on her face. "Susan, what's going on?"

Susan took a deep breath. "The little one just did a one eighty."

"You sure? Does this mean you're in labor?"

"Yes, I'm sure, because he just kicked me in the liver. I'm not in labor, yet. I'd say give it a couple of hours."

"You want to go home or back to my place. Or maybe to Tripler?" Maggie asked.

Susan glanced at her watch. It was ten minutes after two. "Let's go back to your place. Lillie won't be home until four and I don't think I need to be alone right now." She tossed her keys to Maggie. "You drive."

They got back to the house at the end of Kalamanu drive at 2:45. Other than a slight backache that had diminished when she got off her feet, Susan felt fine. Susan called Dr. Sessums, and gave her a rundown on her symptoms. The doctor told her to have a lie down with her feet up and if she wasn't in labor by morning, she was to check in to Tripler first thing. She hung up the phone, smiling.

"Looks like Duke's going to get his birthday present on time after all," she said.

"Should you call Duke? Or do you want to wait until it really starts happening?"

"Duke's out serving a warrant in the county and won't be back until late this afternoon. He's a nervous wreck as it is. I'll wait until labor really starts. That means you get to drive me to the hospital. And not in that little yellow hot rod you call a car, that is if I could fit into it."

"You got it. Now put your feet up like the doctor said and I'll make you a cup of tea." Maggie was smiling. It seemed like Friday the Thirteenth wasn't going to be that bad after all.

*a brief nod to the late great Sir Terry Pratchett and the Librarian of the Unseen University who was transformed into an Orangutan in a magickal accident...


	4. Chapter 4

O-O-O-O-O

Duke, Chin, Kono, and a deputy Hiapo Makamae crouched behind the low lava rock wall that surrounded Mama Taumamua's house. The house was on a small hill in the middle of pineapple and cane fields and had an extremely good view of the one road that ran past the driveway. It wasn't much of a road, either, as it was unpaved and rutted. But Kimo Tamamua had sighted the convoy consisting of one black SUV, a marked sheriffs car, the two local deputies, and the prisoner transport van and had raised the alarm. The Brothers had barricaded themselves into their mom's house and were refusing to come out.

"You tink maybe we can starve then out?" Kono said.

"I doubt it," Duke replied. "Mama's been feeding that horde of kids for years. She's going to have a well stocked pantry and a full freezer."

Another shot rang out, this one taking out Mama's mailbox. "I have never known the Brothers to use guns before," Kono said.

"There's a first time for everything," Duke said. "They can't shoot for beans."

Duke picked up the bullhorn. "I counted six shots. If they've got a revolver, and it sounds like a .38 firing, they are going to have to stop and reload. Wish me luck."

He stood up as he pressed the talk button on the bullhorn. "OKAY boys, you've had your fun. Time to get serious. Are you going to make nice and come out or do we have to come in and get you? You've got five minutes to give me your answer."

One of the windows on the second floor opened and an object flew out, end over end, until it crashed into the sidewalk near the officers and shattered, releasing hundreds of roaches.

A second jar followed the first. Duke scrambled atop the fence, joined by Kono, Chin, and Haipo. Roaches scuttled everywhere in a mad dash for freedom.

"If that ain't assaulting an officer, I don't know what is," Kono said. "Man, I hate those nasty little bugs."

Duke checked his watch. They had arrived on scene just after twelve and had spent the last two hours trying to get the Brothers to surrender. He suspected that the Brothers wouldn't be ready to surrender until they either ran out of ammunition, got hungry, or got bored and wanted to fight. If it was a fight they wanted, he was more than ready to accommodate them. "Anyone know where Mama Taumamua is?" he asked.

"This is Friday," Hiapo replied. "She'll be at bingo at the parish hall. They should be done around three. Don't no one want to mess with a bunch of Hawaiian grandma's playing bingo. That's askin' for trouble."

"Looks like we'll be waiting until three. Mama is not going to be happy with her boys after she sees what they did to her mailbox."

"Might as well relax," Chin said. "We gone be here a while."

O-O-O-O-O

Susan lay on the couch with her feet up, watching a movie. Maggie was pretending to watch the movie and work on her latest embroidery project at the same time. She had an odd feeling that Susan was about to start labor.

Susan suddenly sat upright. "Whoa!" she said, "I think I need to go to the hospital. Call Duke and tell him to meet us at Tripler, I'll call the doctor."

Maggie grabbed her phone, scrolling until she found Duke's number on speed dial. He didn't answer, instead the phone went directly to voice mail. She left a brief message. "Duke call Susan." and hung up.

"You sure it's the baby?" Maggie asked.

"I'm sure," Susan said. "What time is it?"

"Just after 1530. Why? And how far apart are the contractions?"

"I've just had the one, but Dr Sessums said to come in at the first sign of labor. I get special treatment because I'm over forty, a Gulf War vet, and a cancer survivor. She wants this birth monitored from start to finish."

"Then let's get you to the hospital and see if you can keep Junior in there until after midnight." Maggie said. She grabbed both their bags from the hall table and headed for the Susan's car.

O-O-O-O-O

Haipo had been sent to fetch Mama Taumamua from the bingo hall. It was half past three and both Chin and Kono were getting fed up with the Brother's. Duke very seldom lost his temper because he saw no need for it. However, the Brother's were starting to annoy him.

"If they throw one more jar of cockroaches, I swear I'm going to set the house on fire and shoot them when they run outside," Kono said. The Brothers seemed to have an unlimited supply of jars of cockroaches.

"I'll loan you a lighter," Chin said, lighting his pipe and hoping the tobacco smoke would keep the roaches at bay. He'd already pulled one out of the cuff of his pants, and if he brought one of the nasty little things home, Lin would have his head on a spike. Their first apartment had been infested with the things and she liked them even less than he did.

"Haipo needs to hurry up with Mama," Duke said. He took his cell phone out of his pocket, glared at the screen, and clicked it shut. Still no reception. He hadn't heard from Susan since early that morning and he was starting to get antsy. The last thing he wanted to do was miss the birth of his child because he was trying to arrest three overgrown juvenile delinquents.

"Relax, Duke," Chin said. "If the baby was coming, Steve would call you on the radio."

Another jar of roaches came crashing out of the window.

"That's it!" Kono shouted, so loudly he didn't need a bullhorn to be heard in the house. "The next roach bomb come out that window I will personally catch and shove it up the throwers ass! You hear me! I ain't playin'!"

They all looked at Kono. He was deadly serious. He didn't like bugs of any kind and was more than ready to make good the threat. The Brothers must have picked up the same vibe, because no more roach bombs came out the window.

The assembled officers settled down to wait for Mama Taumamua.

O-O-O-O-O

As soon as Susan was settled into a labor room at Tripler, Maggie called Steve's landline, only to have Jenny answer. She had forgotten about Steve's Friday meeting with the DA.

"Tell the rest of the crew that the wait is over," Maggie said. "Susan's been admitted to Tripler."

"You mean the baby's on it's way?" Jenny said with a happy little squeal.

"Yes!" Maggie said. "She's only about two weeks late and she swears she's not going to deliver until after midnight. I couldn't get through to Duke so y'all are going to have to let him know. Susan says he's out in the middle of nowhere making an arrest."

"I'll let him know," Jenny said. "Keep us posted, will you?"

"Not a problem," Maggie said as she hung up her phone.

"Did you hear that, Danny?" Jenny said, excitement in her voice. "Susan's been admitted to the hospital. It looks like the baby is on it's way."

"About time," Danny said.

"About time for what?" Steve asked as he returned to the office and made a bee line to the coffeepot.

"Susan's finally gone into labor," Jenny said. "And Maggie can't raise Duke on his cell phone because they're all out in the boonies. You're going to have to radio the message."

"Now that's the kind of news I like," Steve said. He picked up the mic for the police radio. "McGarrett calling Lukela. McGarrett calling Lukela, Come in please."

Kono was closest to the radio and heard the call before Duke did. Duke was arguing with Mama Taumamua. Mama was of the opinion that her boys could do no wrong and if they were in trouble again it was because they were hanging out with the wrong crowd.

"Hey, Duke," Kono yelled. "The Big Man need to talk to you!"

Duke ran to the radio. "Lukela here," he said.

"Duke, the wait's over," McGarrett said. "Susan's at Tripler. The baby is on it's way."

Duke stood there, stunned and speechless. Kono took the mic out of his hand. "I tink he's in shock. We gonna wrap this up and head back. Be another three hours before we make town."

"Roger that, Kono. McGarrett out."

"Duke, you okay?" Kono asked.

"I am not missing my son's birth because three overgrown kanaka's don't know how to behave." He said as he checked the Colt 1911 to make sure it was loaded and the safety off. He checked the charge on the Taser that nestled in it's own little holster next to the .45. He got the riot baton from the rack in the back of the black SUV that had replaced the big Ford and Mercury sedans that Five-O had used for years. He had changed into black fatigues and boots before heading out to make the arrest and was wearing a Kevlar vest. Without warning he ran up the walk, cockroaches and broken glass crunching under his boots, giving Kono, Chin, and the deputies no choice but to follow him as he kicked down the front door.

Tiny saw Duke coming and was waiting for him, ready to pummel the smaller man into jelly. Duke dodged his fist, planted a boot in Tiny's knee, and hit him with the Taser set to maximum voltage. Tiny went down, hard, only to make the mistake of trying to get back up. Duke gave him another zap with the Taser, and had his hands cuffed behind his back before he could regain the use of his muscles. The Twins, Mano and Pano, came thundering down the stairs. Duke stuck out a leg, tripping the leading twin. Both of them crashed to floor in a noisy human avalanche. They looked up into the muzzles of Kono, Chin, and the deputies guns, and even with their room temperature IQ's, they knew that fighting was no longer a viable option.

The entire take down lasted all of three minutes.

Chin read the Brothers their Miranda rights and with the aid of the sheriff's deputies, who had a hard time keeping Mama from delivering some much needed discipline to her errant children, got them loaded into the transport van for the trip back to Honolulu.

Mama was in rare form. She berated officers and offspring alike. "Who gone pay for the damage done to my house?" she demanded.

Chin was trying to explain the procedure for a damage claim. Kono had put in a radio call to McGarrett. It was going to be at least a two hour drive back to Honolulu on bad roads. He told McGarrett what he wanted, got an affirmative answer, and went back to work.

Duke was nearly jumping out of his skin. He couldn't concentrate on the questions he needed to ask, or the reports he needed to write. "Calm down, Brudah," Kono said. "You gone give yourself a nervous breakdown."

"Kono, I need to get to Tripler," Duke said. "As soon as possible."

"Well, you ain't driving cause I ain't pulling you out of no pineapple patch cause you won't payin' attention to where you was going. Settle down and give me a few. Gone be a while before we can get out of here anyway. Hang loose, Brudah."

Haipo came out of the house, grinning from ear to ear, and carrying a terra cotta planter in which a large marijuana plant was flourishing. "Hey, Kono, we hit the jackpot! There's enough weed growing upstairs to keep half this Rock high for the next six months."

"Come on, Duke," Kono said. "We need pictures of this. No wonder the Brothers was puttin' up a fight. They was guarding their stash."

Duke followed Kono into the house and up the stairs. The entire second story of the house was a massive grow room, complete with lighting and an automatic watering system. Duke took pictures while Kono looked around. He opened a cabinet to find it filled with jars of cockroaches. He shuddered and closed the door.

Duke looked around. "Which one of us gets to arrest Mama?"

Before Kono could answer, he heard the helicopter.

"Looks like it's gone be me. Your rides here."

"What ride?"

"I had the Big Man send a chopper. You gone be at the hospital in about twenty minutes. Get out of here. Me and Chin got it covered."

Duke ran down the stairs, and out the door, tossing the keys to the SUV to Chin as the HPD chopper was landing. He got in, waving as he took off. The pilot motioned for him to put on the radio headset.

"McGarrett to Lukela, how's it going?"

"Better now," Duke said.

"The chopper is going to take you to Tripler. Don't worry about getting the Brothers booked. We'll take care of that from this end. I'll see you at Tripler, because my wife isn't leaving until she's a godmother."

"Roger that, Steve, and thanks."

"That's what _ohana_ is for. McGarrett out."

 _Ohana_ , Duke thought as the chopper turned to the southeast towards Tripler, _mine just got a whole lot bigger._

O-O-O-O-O

Tripler may have been an Army hospital, but they weren't prepared for an armed man in black fatigues demanding directions to labor and delivery. After the elderly receptionist had calmed down, she called for an MP to escort Duke upstairs. The MP, apparently gung ho to do his job, asked for ID.

"Which one?" Duke asked. "The one from Five-O or the dependent ID. Make up your mind. My wife is having a baby."

"The Five-O ID will do," the kid said. "This way, please?"

They rode the elevator to the fifth floor. The MP asked if Five-O was hiring.

"Try HPD first," Duke told him. "You'll need the street experience." And maybe some common survival skills because one glance told Duke he could have the kid disarmed and on the ground before the elevator doors opened.

"Here you are, sir," the kid said. "This your first grandbaby?"

Duke didn't bother to answer. He went directly to the nurses station. "Which room is First Sergeant Lukela's?" he asked.

The nurse took her time before she looked up from her workstation. "Uh, may I see some ID please?"

"What is it with you people? My wife is having a baby and you keep asking for my ID." This time he took out both the police and the dependent ID.

"Sorry, sir. We can't take any chances with the newborns." The nurse looked all of twenty. "Most of our fathers are younger and unarmed. Your wife is in room 4B. Her friend is with her and I know she'll be glad to see you."

Duke found 4B. He opened the door to find Susan lying comfortably in a hospital bed, hooked up to machines monitoring both her vital signs and the baby's.

"About time you got here," she said as he crossed the room to take her hand.

"It's been that kind of a day. If Steve hadn't sent a chopper I'd still be in the boonies." He bent to kiss her, brushing a stray blonde curl out of her face as he did.

"She's being stubborn," Maggie said. "She says she's not having that baby until after midnight and the doctor has started agreeing with her."

"Thank you for taking care of her until I could get here." Duke said.

The nurse came in with a paper wrapped gown. "You need to put this on, sir." She said, handing the bundle to Duke. "And if you need to freshen up, the bathroom is that way." She pointed to a door on the left side of the bed.

"Do I look that bad?" he asked.

"No, sir," the nurse said hurriedly, "just a little rumpled. And kinda scary what with the gun and all." she trailed off.

"Oh, sorry," he said. "I didn't have time to disarm." The nurse left after telling Susan that Dr. Sessums was making rounds and would be in to check her in a few minutes. Duke retreated to the bathroom to wash his face and hands and run his fingers through his hair. Maggie helped him into the gown. He stood beside Susan, holding her hand.

"I wasn't allowed in the delivery room when Eddie and Lillie were born," he said. "Both were C-sections. Eddie was turned the wrong way and Lillie was just stubborn."

"Tripler's a lot different for the hospital in Munich where Sophie was born. Everything has changed," Susan stopped talking abruptly, her grip on Duke's hand tightening as she panted her way through the contraction. "Except for this. It still hurts. What time is it?"

"1710," Maggie said, reading the numbers off the clock. "You still got a ways to go."

"He's staying in until after midnight." Susan said.

"Sure," Maggie said, frowning. "If you say so. Have you got a name yet? Susan is being awfully secretive about the name."

"You will know when he's here and we introduce him for the first time," Duke said, smiling.

There was a knock on the door. Eddie and Lillie saw their parents and came in quietly. Lillie gave Duke a hug and kissed Susan on the cheek. Eddie just looked nervous.

"Auntie Magic left a message on the answering machine at home. We are not going to miss our little brother being born. Or at least I'm not. Juries still out for Eddie."

"It's going to be a while," Susan said. "Have you had dinner yet?"

"That's my Kukana," Duke said. "Worrying about everyone else while she's having a baby."

"We stopped by the In and Out and got some burgers." Eddie said.

There was a soft knock and Dr Sessums entered. "I see the whole family is here." She said. "Sgt Lukela, you've caused quiet a stir up here. The armed man in black is all you hear the nurses talking about. Not to worry, they all think you're hot."

Duke blushed as the women giggled at his discomfort. "Tell the nurses he's also taken," Susan said.

"That's rather obvious," the doctor said. "Everyone out except Dad, I need to check my patient."

Maggie and the kids obediently left the room, much to Eddie's relief. As much as he was looking forward to having a baby brother, he wasn't sure if he was ready for the whole childbirth experience.

Lillie was taking it all in. She hadn't told her parents yet, but she was planning on using her scholarship to Vassar as a stepping stone to medical school. She was fascinated by the entire birth process, thought Doctor Sessums made an excellent role model, and planned to specialize in obstetrics. All because her Dad had met and married that tall army sergeant. Susan had seen the potential in Lillie and had helped her to build the confidence she didn't know she had.

They were in the waiting room when Steve, Danny, and Jenny stopped by. After everyone had exchanged hugs, Maggie gave them an update: No baby yet and Susan was determined to wait until after midnight.

"If she's anywhere as stubborn as you are," Steve said. "we're going to be here a while."

O-O-O-O-O

Susan proved to be stubborn. At 1155 she was taken to the delivery room. Maggie, Steve, Lillie, Eddie and Kono were the only ones still there. Maggie refused to leave until the baby was born. Steve reminded Danny that he was on call for the weekend and that he should try to get some sleep. Chin had dropped by but had left shortly afterwards. After eight children, maternity wards made him slightly uncomfortable.

At a quarter past twelve, Susan gave birth to a nine pound six ounce baby boy who arrived squalling at the top of his lungs from the indignity of it all. Duke held her hand, tears of joy streaming down his face, as the doctor held the baby up for everyone to see.

At one o'clock, Dr Sessums came to the waiting room, smiling, and led the little party to the recovery room where Susan was resting and Duke was standing protectively by. Susan was sitting up in bed, holding a small bundle, a swathe of blonde curls visible above the pale blue receiving blanket.

"Congratulations!" Steve said. "A boy, right?"

"Yes," Duke said. "A fine healthy boy. My Kukana has given me a beautiful baby. Shall we tell them now, my love?" Duke asked.

Susan nodded. "Yes, time to introduce the little one to his godparents and the rest of the world."

Duke took the baby from Susan, and crossing the room to where Maggie and Steve were standing and handed the baby to Maggie. She pulled back the blanket. The baby had soft blond curls, fat little cheeks, and when he opened his eyes, looking directly into hers, they were the color of melted chocolates.

"Meet the newest addition to our _ohana_ , Steven Micheal Lukela." Maggie and Steve were momentarily speechless. Steve saw a look of contentment on Maggie's face that he'd never seen before. He didn't trust his voice, he just nodded and smiled.

The baby was passed from hand to hand, with even Kono getting into the act and giving the child a brief blessing in Hawaiian. Duke finally gave the baby back to Susan, who looked tired but happy.

Steve could see that it was family time. "Duke, Susan, thank you. We're going home now and will be back to see you later on today." He kissed Susan on the cheek. "That's a beautiful baby. Congratulations and thank you."

Maggie kissed the baby, gave Duke the keys to Susan's car, and left with her husband. Kono followed after kissing Susan and the baby and shaking Duke's hand. Lillie and Eddie left soon after, pleased with their new baby brother.

Susan held her son and gave her husband a tired smile.

"Happy Birthday, Duke. I love you."

She fell asleep smiling.

Duke took the baby and sat down in the rocking chair thoughtfully provided by the hospital. He fell asleep, still holding his newborn son.

Pau for now...


End file.
